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City leaders break ground for Stallings St. Claude Center and Pool

A vital part of the St. Claude community is returning, bigger and better than ever.

New Orleans city leaders broke ground on a new Stallings St. Claude Center and Pool Friday, a project on which the community had major input.

“And of course we’re talking about playgrounds, which are a critical part of our major initiative on NOLA for Life, to give our kids something wonderful to do so that they can learn the gifts that God has given them and do very well,” said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “So I want to thank everybody for their work.”

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The first plan didn’t sit well with the community.

“What happened in the first plan was they took off the basketball court for more parking and the community over here said, ‘No, no, no, no, no. We need more kids and we need more places for our children to play,’” said New Orleans City Council member Kristin Palmer.

Susan Brady of the New St. Claude Association of Neighbors said the city also didn’t have the money to redo the pool. She said that was unacceptable.

“FEMA’s going to pay for the stadium and the field and the building, the city can come up with the funding for the park, and I appreciate the fact that they took those request(s) into consideration,” Brady said.

The building will include dance floors, an exercise room, a new basketball court, a pool and a field. It will also have bike racks and parking for community members.

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